The New New Year’s Resolution
I have a confession—I’ve never liked new year’s resolutions. I haven’t just disliked them, I’ve hated them.
New year’s resolutions feel daunting. Like guilt ridden traps set to snap closed and strangle with shame. Sounds terrible right?! But I found an alternative… an intention.
I’m not sure there’s more than a semantic difference between an intention and a new year’s resolution. However, I can say that setting intentions is not only doable but has radically changed the way I overcome hard things, including internal battles and accomplishing goals.
Let’s define how I’m using the word intention.
An intention is a noun, defined as “what one intends to do or bring about."
An intention can also be called a declaration and can be turned into mini mantras.
Intentions don’t have to be task oriented.
There are different types of intentions - seasonal intentions, daily intentions, intentions to accomplish something external, or intentions to accomplish something internal.
Intentions aren’t magic. But they do help us focus our energy and thoughts. They leverage the power of our brains to work for us (check out some of the cool research they are doing on neuroscience and the plasticity of the brain). Each person I know who has used intentions saw a difference in themselves, their thought life, their emotions, and their overall well being versus when they didn’t use intentions.
Let’s look at how to craft your own intention alongside real and practical examples. Note that intentions engage our brains to work for us without consciously thinking about it. But first, we do the thinking work.
Structure:
Avoid words that feel like work; instead, use words and phrases that positively invite what you want.
Words that feel like work can make the intention feel like work and something to avoid (i.e. need, must, should, have to, force, make myself).
Use words that feel like they lighten the load (i.e. easily, peacefully, enjoy, calmly, invite).
Your work words may be different from those of your friends.
Use positive wording.
The brain doesn’t compute negatives the way we think it does.
For instance, “I won’t eat junk food,” is translated as, “I eat junk food.”
To shift to positive wording, focus on the outcome. (More on that below.)
Make intentions one sentence and easy to memorize and repeat.
Once you’ve got one, repeat it out loud to yourself daily.
Put it up where you can see it—on post-it notes, on your phone screen, in the kitchen, on the bathroom mirror, etc.
The Nitty-gritty: Emotion, Meaning, & Vision:
Identify the challenge you’re facing or the thing you’re wanting to change in yourself.
Take the time to pinpoint the why behind the intention.
Real Life Example:
When I was feeling overwhelmed by a lack of healthy exercise and eating routines, I identified that there was no joy in the potential change. So my intention focused on the fact that I wanted to make these changes and actually enjoy them!
Sample Intentions:
I celebrate my commitment to my healthy body, mind, and spirit.
I delight in caring for my personal needs: eating, sleeping, and exercising.
Identify what would help you navigate these challenges more easily.
Where do you want the intention to take you?
Real Life Example:
When moving houses, I blitzed the unpacking for two weeks and then found myself discouraged by everything left to do. I couldn’t finish! I realised that I needed a reason to keep going - something that felt good. I recognised that knowing what I wanted to feel in each room would make it easier to finish unpacking and decorating.
Sample Intentions:
I joyfully explore my dreams for my space and environment.
Decorating my home is a natural and enjoyable way to respect and take joy in my environment.
Identify how long you want to pursue this intention.
The duration of the intention itself is less important than knowing how long it’s going to serve you well. You might set an intention for just one day and never use it again. You might set an intention for a month and find that, at the end of that month, the intention is still relevant, helpful, and you want to keep using it.
Real Life Example
Rachael wrestled with seeing herself as beautiful, both inside and out. She knew on some level that she was beautiful, but struggled to love herself fully. She identified intentions that encapsulated who she wanted to be inside and out and used them any season where it was relevant.
Sample intentions:
I’m an attractive, healthy, beautiful, sexy, joyful, and energetic woman.
Embracing my internal and external beauty is a journey I relish.
Whether you start small or big, the key is allowing yourself to move towards greater amounts of the things you want in life. Intentions are a gentle way to enhance your growth journey.
Journey Prompt:
Take some time to identify what intentions you might want to set for yourself.
Pick one topic that feels good to focus on.
Go through the lists above to craft your intention.
Write it down, and put up copies of it in a few key places where you’ll see it daily.
Say it out loud to yourself. Say it like you mean it!
Breathe. Live fully present.
